1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lamp guards, and more particularly to a lamp cage or lamp guard for protecting an electric light or lamp screwed into an electric socket installed in an outlet box. The inventive apparatus is particularly well-suited for use in mounting the cage on outlet boxes newly installed in a wall or ceiling in a building under construction.
2. Discussion of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR §§1.97, 1.98
Lights in construction sites are especially vulnerable to damage and destruction. Lamp cages used in such sites are generally designed to snap on to the socket portion of an installed lamp holder or, alternatively, to mount on the lamp holder with screws. Exemplary lamp guards and cages, as well known the many purposes for which they have been devised, are shown and described in the following U.S. patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,787, to Thome, et al, which teaches a light guard having a base flange removably mountable to the fixed surface of a light socket and a body portion extending from the base flange for surrounding the electric lamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,541, to Simmons, shows a molded single-piece lamp cage that includes stationary and hinged cage sections connected to one another by a living hinge. This permits the hinged section to be open for changing the lamp without removing the cage from the socket. An integrally molded collar and a hinged clamp enable the cage to be installed on the socket without need of tools or hardware.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,912, to Pomroy, discloses a light guard cage comprising identical halves each having integral upper semi-circular bands that snap together to form an upper annular collar that engages the rib or recess of a light socket.
The foregoing documents and discussion reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein. Specifically, and despite the apparent maturity of this art, there remains a need for a lamp guard that may be temporarily installed directly on an electrical outlet box or on a plaster ring installed on an outlet box so as to hold a light socket within the box and to protect exposed wires. Such a device would be advantageous when used in construction sites where wall and/or ceiling installation is still underway, where access to outlet mounted lamp holders is needed, and where wall surfaces and finishing procedures must be completed before the installation of a permanent lamp holder.